Since the news of Song Foxiang’s outburst at the banquet was quietly suppressed by all parties, Wen Ying didn’t know the details of how Zhao Dong lost the bid. Her curiosity burned, and she kept pressing Xie Qian, but he stubbornly refused to tell her—hmph, no need to beg Xie Qian now. The news Li Mengjiao brought had given Wen Ying the key piece of the puzzle!
Wen Ying tilted her chin slightly, giving Xie Qian a smug and cunning look.
Xie Qian felt a twinge of regret.
When it came to anything but studies, Hamster was genuinely sharp.
He hadn’t meant to tease her at first, but seeing Wen Ying try every subtle trick to coax the truth out of him, Xie Qian wanted to see how many more tactics she had up her sleeve.
Sadly, the game lasted less than a day!
“Hey, aren’t you two upset?”
Li Mengjiao, bursting with the news, rushed to share it with her friends, but both stayed silent, completely out of character.
No, Wen Ying and Xie Qian’s expressions did shift!
Wen Ying glanced at Xie Qian, and he looked back, an exchange Li Mengjiao, despite her acting classes, couldn’t decipher—like encrypted communication.
Li Mengjiao’s cheeks puffed up in frustration: these two were bad enough with their early romance, but their public displays were getting blatant!
“Oi, enough, you two! If you’ve got ideas, say them so I can hear. I can’t read your eyes!”
Li Mengjiao huffed, hands on hips.
Petite and cute, her anger lacked menace, more like a tantrum.
Wen Ying pulled the indignant Li侠女 to sit down, “Why so worked up? You believe every rumour. With that temper, you dare dive into the entertainment world? Good thing Teacher Yuan’s keeping an eye on you.”
“Song Chan’s situation is pretty rough…”
Li Mengjiao muttered.
Wen Ying countered, “Rough how?”
Li Mengjiao was shocked, “Her dad offended some big shot, forcing Song Chan to flee abroad. That’s not rough?”
Her vivid expression screamed, “How can you be so cold?” making Wen Ying laugh.
“Seeing isn’t always believing, let alone hearsay. I don’t know if Song Chan’s situation is rough, but you’re definitely the silliest.”
Li Mengjiao bristled at Wen Ying’s assessment.
Xie Qian was used to the gap between his thinking and that of academic underachievers, but after tutoring Li Mengjiao so long, her progress seemed limited to test scores, not her mindset.
Xie Qian felt exhausted!
“Don’t you think, if Song Chan’s family really offended a big shot and was forced to flee abroad, such a ‘powerful’ figure would let the news spread everywhere?”
Don’t big shots care about face?
Don’t they have means to control things?
Struck by Xie Qian’s words, Li Mengjiao wasn’t fazed, instantly extrapolating, “That just proves how formidable the big shot is, forcing Song Chan’s family to leak the news to make them hesitate!”
Wen Ying was impressed by Silly Li’s rare spark of insight!
Even Xie Qian gave her a nod, relieved: his long tutoring wasn’t entirely fruitless; Li Mengjiao’s quirky brain just showed results sporadically.
Knowing it wasn’t his fault, Xie Qian relaxed, his tone carrying a faint smile, “Or maybe the ‘big shot’ isn’t that powerful, just shameless. Song Chan’s family spread rumours as a preemptive shield. Don’t take gossip at face value; see through the fog to the truth!”
The truth was, where was Song Chan going to study abroad?
Li Mengjiao pondered.
By afternoon, she got new updates, but now looked glum:
“Song Chan’s going to Phillips Exeter Academy in the US!”
It’s a prestigious American boarding high school, recently partnered with their provincial key school for exchanges. Song Chan was going as an exchange student.
Exchange students are usually two types: those already guaranteed a top university spot, unconcerned with college entrance exams, seeking cultural exposure; or those planning to study abroad for undergrad.
Song Chan, with a first prize in the New Concept Essay Contest, had an admission advantage but no guaranteed university spot. Going to a US high school as an exchange student in her critical senior year meant she couldn’t focus on the college entrance exam.
So, her plan was the latter.
Li Mengjiao’s gloom wasn’t jealousy over Song Chan’s exchange spot or studying abroad, but that she’d actually believed Song Chan was being persecuted by a big shot!
What kind of persecution sends someone to a top US private high school?
If that news spread, countless students would queue up to roll on the ground before the big shot: “Big boss, persecute me, please, I won’t resist!”
The feeling of her intelligence being trampled left Li Mengjiao utterly dejected.
Ugh, the clown was her!
Wen Ying didn’t rub it in, nor did Xie Qian mock her. Wen Ying even comforted Silly Li, “It’s a good outcome. Song学姐 is going to a great school.”
In this whole affair, only the rumoured “big shot” got hurt, while everyone else got what they wanted. Isn’t that nice?
As for the “big shot” who got hurt, Wen Ying felt no pity and even wanted to kick them while they’re down—serves them right!
The rumours, though spread deliberately by Song Foxiang, didn’t wrong Zhao Dong!
Zhao Dong was indeed petty enough to hold grudges against a high schooler, though his target wasn’t Song Chan, but Wen Ying.
Wen Ying’s thoughts mirrored Xie Qian’s mood: wonder if Zhao Dong’s satisfied with this outcome?
If Zhao Dong wasn’t, then Xie Qian was quite pleased!
Zhao Dong, who flattered the powerful and stepped on the weak, eager to climb by clinging to big legs, yet so narrow-minded, met his match in Song Foxiang and took a hard fall.
…
At the heart of the rumour storm, Song Chan, looking at her dad’s still-swollen face, felt no excitement about going to Phillips Exeter Academy as an exchange student.
Song Foxiang had considered this opportunity before, but the limited spots and hefty deposit for a few months abroad weren’t cost-effective for their modestly comfortable family. Borrowing from relatives for Song Chan’s exchange was beneath Song Foxiang’s literary pride.
This time, the exchange application was done behind Song Chan’s back!
Even Li Mengjiao, from a different year, heard the rumours, so Song Chan, in the eye of the storm, naturally did too.
With Song Foxiang’s face bruised purple and blue, Song Chan demanded answers from her dad.
If he got beaten and exposed Zhao Dong for her sake, how could she go abroad with peace of mind?
Under his daughter’s piercing gaze, Song Foxiang turned his head aside.
Good grief, on one side was his daughter’s resentful, truth-seeking stare, and on the other was his nephew Song Shao’s gentle yet resolute look, as if it could see through all his facades.
Song Foxiang closed his eyes in agony: who’s the dad, who’s the uncle? Why do I feel like the lowliest grandson!
